1
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
the movie pairs a sly, dissembling ex-con with an upstanding, straight-arrow cop
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shady
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions
why, you sly fellow! I had no idea you were planning my birthday party a sly undercover police officer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
a sly sense of humor
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sly
At school, teachers hid their identities and students made sly side comments.
—
Greta Cross, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025
Presenting Linda with two open wounds—one in the ceiling, and one in her child’s flesh—the film suggests, with sly wit and bristling optimism, that the solutions to both problems might be one and the same.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
The belief that art could build a life from scratch is what gives his Grofield a sly depth beneath the bravado.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 9 Oct. 2025
The actress was making a sly reference to her 1984 thriller Firestarter.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sly
Greta Cross, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025
Presenting Linda with two open wounds—one in the ceiling, and one in her child’s flesh—the film suggests, with sly wit and bristling optimism, that the solutions to both problems might be one and the same.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
The belief that art could build a life from scratch is what gives his Grofield a sly depth beneath the bravado.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 9 Oct. 2025
The actress was making a sly reference to her 1984 thriller Firestarter.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sly
Adjective
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Fueled by vengeance and cunning ambition, Ashur rises from betrayal and bloodshed to seize power, gouging out a place for the House of Ashur in a new arena full of violence, desire, and twisted loyalty.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
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The elaborate scheme, masterminded by members of four Mafia families in collusion with celebrity athletes, ensnared unsuspecting victims, bleeding them of over $7 million through cunning deception, prosecutors said in the indictment.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The bill is meant to explicitly prohibit that kind of shady transaction.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Jan. 2026
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As would giving Law an award for playing a shady restaurateur in Black Rabbit.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Burnett pauses, considers the question, and then flashes a mischievous grin.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Jan. 2026
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Dave, feeling mischievous, ushered them towards a window seat and what, on the face of it, seemed a prime spot.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
24 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Fall travel season is here, and my suitcase is officially in its comfy-but-cute era.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
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Shoppers call out the cute and functional design.—
Kim Grundy,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The Baltimore Ravens just pulled off a sneaky-good trade, as the team has acquired defensive end Dre'Mont Jones from the Tennessee Titans for a conditional fifth-round pick.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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J’ville’s defense is sneaky solid and second in league in takeaways, and Vegas QB Geno Smith makes more turnovers than a bakery.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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With the launch of the Culling Game in the aftermath, 10 colonies from across Japan are transformed into dens of curses as part of a plot orchestrated by the most wicked sorcerer in history, Noritoshi Kamo.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
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The rhymes are wicked smart, clever and memorable.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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There are more subtle links between the franchises as well, like the casting of Cameron Brown as the Drone Synth in the film.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Nov. 2025
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Lucky Step Platform Sneakers These brown suede platform sneakers give a subtle lift while staying super comfortable thanks to memory foam insoles and arch support.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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At the cottage, our protagonists replace the furtive glances and locker-room tension from earlier episodes with quiet intimacy and words of affirmation.—
Chris Dong,
USA Today,
27 Dec. 2025
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In a grimy gray wig and sober black suit that subtly but pointedly leaps a century forward from the play’s origins to recall the Founding Fathers, Matthew Broderick’s Tartuffe speaks like the grandpa next door and pads across the stage with furtive footsteps, a monster masquerading as a mouse.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sly. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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